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Prophets stone neighbor to death over religious dispute
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A dispute over religious beliefs turned deadly in Kadoma's Mupamombe suburb last Friday when two self-styled prophets allegedly stoned their neighbor to death after a confrontation over their religious practices.
Shepherd Mpofu, a local resident, was fatally attacked after Misheck Muperiwa (22) and Costain Tshuma (28), both from Kadoma, allegedly assaulted him during an altercation that began when Mpofu questioned their religious activities.
According to the acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Effort Chapoto, Muperiwa and Tshuma were moving around their neighborhood early in the morning, at around 7 am, as part of their prayers. They were reportedly scattering ashes and charcoal, claiming these items had powers to cleanse and protect their shrine and the surrounding area from evil spirits.
The ritual, however, did not sit well with Mpofu, who questioned the two men's practices and attempted to block them from continuing. This led to a heated argument that quickly escalated into violence.
"Muperiwa struck Mpofu in the face with a clay pot, which shattered upon impact, causing him to fall to the ground," said Assistant Inspector Chapoto. "The two then began to pelt Mpofu with stones until he lost consciousness."
One of Mpofu's neighbors, Simbarashe Gombera, attempted to intervene, but he too was struck with stones during the attack. Gombera then rushed to the Ingezi police base to report the incident.
When the police arrived at the scene, they discovered that Mpofu had been rushed to Kadoma General Hospital in a desperate attempt to save him. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead on arrival, and his body was transferred to the hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.
Both Muperiwa and Tshuma are currently on the run, and authorities are searching for the suspects. The tragic incident has raised concerns about the potential dangers posed by unregulated religious practices and the escalation of disputes into violence.
Shepherd Mpofu, a local resident, was fatally attacked after Misheck Muperiwa (22) and Costain Tshuma (28), both from Kadoma, allegedly assaulted him during an altercation that began when Mpofu questioned their religious activities.
According to the acting provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Effort Chapoto, Muperiwa and Tshuma were moving around their neighborhood early in the morning, at around 7 am, as part of their prayers. They were reportedly scattering ashes and charcoal, claiming these items had powers to cleanse and protect their shrine and the surrounding area from evil spirits.
The ritual, however, did not sit well with Mpofu, who questioned the two men's practices and attempted to block them from continuing. This led to a heated argument that quickly escalated into violence.
One of Mpofu's neighbors, Simbarashe Gombera, attempted to intervene, but he too was struck with stones during the attack. Gombera then rushed to the Ingezi police base to report the incident.
When the police arrived at the scene, they discovered that Mpofu had been rushed to Kadoma General Hospital in a desperate attempt to save him. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead on arrival, and his body was transferred to the hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.
Both Muperiwa and Tshuma are currently on the run, and authorities are searching for the suspects. The tragic incident has raised concerns about the potential dangers posed by unregulated religious practices and the escalation of disputes into violence.
Source - newsday
